I've just downloaded the new Mint 12 and wanted to install Google into the FireFox search engine dropdown and it seems I can't.

I know the Linux Mint team want to earn some money, but denying their users from using their web browsers in the way they want is really not cool -- DuckDuck!! Amazon!! ...?? Never heard of the first, and Amazon is not a search engine. You may think this is only a small thing, but to those of us who work on the internet both professionally and for pleasure, this is very frustrating.

Is there any way to override this and be allowed to use the open source FireFox web browser in the way I want?

jamesthej wrote:Is there any way to override this and be allowed to use the open source FireFox web browser in the way I want?

Please don't throw the "open source" term around like that. Firefox is still open source, because, you know, you can still download the source.

FWIW, if you want to add additional search engines other than those which are on the page linked in the post above, you can install the Add to Search Bar addon, go to the search engine's website, right-click on the search bar and select the relevant option in the context menu. This is how I add Google (I didn't know about the page linked above).

Alternatively, you can compile your own vanilla Firefox build, but that's probably going to be a bit time-consuming

As I recall it, "Duck Duck" was added to protect or privacy, a matter that Google falls short upon. I've only used it a couple of times, the search was redirected to EarthLink. Doesn't really matter to me anyway, I've been using "ixquick", an add on to many browsers, & has been around since at least 2006.

I know that one can add it onto Firefox, Chrome & IE. It maintains privacy, & one's searches will be deleted after so long. W.O.T. (Web Of Trust) is also a Firefox addon, it's a decent one.

That being said, if you really want the "Google" experience, then install Chromium from the software manager. It's what I'm running, because it's faster than Firefox. Doesn't matter about the OS, be it Linux or Window$, Chrome is simply faster. Up through Mint 11, one could straight download the .deb installer for Chrome & Opera from the web, but it doesn't work with Mint 12 that way.

I used to be a big Firefox fan, but they're updating frequently now, and important addons (or extensions) oftentimes doesn't work properly, if at all (Java?). If I depended on Firefox to make a living, that matter would concern me far beyond the search engine issue. But that's only my opinion, I respect your concern in the matter. Hopefully, you'll find a workaround soon. The ones that I threw in are worthy suggestions, it's a matter of what you're looking for.

catilley1092 wrote:I used to be a big Firefox fan, but they're updating frequently now, and important addons (or extensions) oftentimes doesn't work properly, if at all (Java?). If I depended on Firefox to make a living, that matter would concern me far beyond the search engine issue. But that's only my opinion, I respect your concern in the matter. Hopefully, you'll find a workaround soon. The ones that I threw in are worthy suggestions, it's a matter of what you're looking for.

Most extensions should work fine because the changes between each version now are relatively small. However, if the plugin doesn't "officially" support the version of Firefox that you're running, it won't install by default (and will be disabled if it's already installed). You need to create an "extensions.checkCompatibility.X.0" Boolean in about:config (where X is the FF version, assuming you're using a stable build) and set it to false to disable compatibility checking and get your addons working.

Once installed you just right-click on the search field of just about any website and click on "Add to Search Bar" in the right-click menu, the "Add Engine to Search Bar" pops up and you can give a keyword if you wish (optional), hit OK and you're done. It's been one of my regular add-ons ever since it first came out.

"Humph. Choice, it is the quintessential Linux delusion, simultaneously the source of it's greatest strength, and it's greatest weakness." (All apologies to The Architect)

The main reason many of us want to stick with the Google search is because of what we're used to or what others with whom we share our computers with are used to. If DuckDuckGo had similar functionality to Google, it would be an easier sell.

As it is though, when my fiance searches for "engagement photo ideas" and there's no simple Images button on the left, it turns into, "What did you do to the computer? Google doesn't even work in Linux! Why can't we go back to Windows?" Her reaction is not uncommon, as is made clear by this thread and the others like it.

In lieu of removing Google all together, on first-run, Firefox should display a Mint-branded page explaining the difference between DuckDuckGo and Google searches, allowing the end user to choose which to make default. Instead, the Gnome-developer mentality has been adopted and drastic changes forced upon the unsuspecting users. Yes, it's easy enough to change the search engine and advanced users are helping the rest of us make Mint 12 look like what we're used to, but the surprise of something besides what we've come to expect with such different functionality has been met with much disappointment.

I have no problem with duckduck (or whatever it's called) and I'll give it a go. But I have to admit that Mint's active attempt to discourage me from using Google annoyed me enough that the very first thing I did was enable it in my search engine.

I admit it - I'm a grumpy cantankerous old git... But if I'd simply been told that using Duckduck would help Mint's finances, I'd probably have said, "Excellent!" and started using it there and then. However, this attempt to actively make it harder for me to get Google - almost being told, in effect, 'you shouldn't use Google' - just gets my back up and makes me say 'Oh yeah? We'll see about THAT!'

In the grand scheme of things, this is all a bit of a non-issue, but I'm sure I'm not the only cantankerous old git Mint user. There might have been less hostility/controversy if both options had been there by default, with a polite request to consider supporting Mint by using the ducky thing.

Last edited by Whitefort on Mon Nov 28, 2011 9:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

google supports it's servers and makes money through adds. it keeps it free for normal users.

In order to give me ads that might interest me and reduce the numbers of those i have no interest in it needs to collect some of my data. i have no problem with that as long as the collected date doesn't include personal data but rather user on certain computer.

edit and yes, Firefox is annoying with it's updates and extensions not supported messages.

Although I admit the process to add Google is somewhat convoluted it can be done without installing any addons:

Open FirefoxClick on the DuckDuckGo iconSelect Manage Search EnginesSelect Get more search enginesAt the bottom of the page select the Google iconYou are sent to a page that doesn't give you a clue if anything has been done or why it sent you there Select the DuckDuckGo icon againAt the bottom of the drop down you will see 'Add "Google"'

Please add a [SOLVED] at the end of your original subject header if your question has been answered and solved.

On Ixquick, I like it, it is surely the best meta search engine in the world: it ranks my sites #1 on searches.

On Google: I typically get well over 90-98% of all search engine referenced visitors from Google. My sites are ranked a little higher on Yahoo and Bing, but Google is the one that SEO has to be aimed for. Google is #1 by a very wide margin.

Yes I’m weird but I liked the Mint branded Google page in Mint 11. I thought it was cool to be so lightweight and focused on Mint.

I tried Duck Duck tonight…… I’m thinking that it will take me quite a while to get used to it, although surely it must be a good search engine since it ranks my sites #1. If DuckDuck is good for Mint then my vote is to keep it.

Whine pout whimper mode: due to Amazon.com being a less than stellar company that not only has poor social ethics but also refuses to pay associates/publishers/authors their due royalties, I am placing my vote that Amazon.com not be associated with Mint in any manner. Visiting the Kindle forums is good enough to see the high number of authors and publishers complaining about not getting paid. Amazon.com’s contract requires arbitration (a minimum $975.00 arbitration fee), which is too expensive to be a means of collecting money due from Amazon.com. Law enforcement in King County, Washington refuses to get involved (my guess is that no one wants to rock the boat of a big employer). Even Wikipedia has a dedicated page to Amazon.com’s history of being a rotten immoral company.

Bottom line; I like Mint, I think it’s the best distro in the world, but effective immediately I have stopped doing business with any and all companies associated with Amazon.com, which unfortunately now includes Mint. I am also telling all visitors to my websites to steer clear of Amazon.com.

I will keep checking in with Mint to see if Amazon.com advertising is removed, but meanwhile it really bites because several other distros also promote Amazon.com.

Edit:

If Mint drops Amazon.com I will offer to promote Mint on one of my sites that gets the highest traffic. I already promote Mint on a fairly new technology site of mine, but the site does not yet get many hits (it’s just a few months old). The site I have in mind has no advertising except for a couple pages that promote my own personal work. The only site of mine that has external ads is a site that is up for sale: an item has to be extraordinarily important for me to link from one of my main sites, and one of the prerequisites of my placing a link to any site is that the site stands firm on moral issues.

'God is dead' - Nietzsche ..... 'Nietzsche is dead' - God ..... sometimes even the right answer is still the wrong question.

Whitefort wrote:I have no problem with duckduck (or whatever it's called) and I'll give it a go. But I have to admit that Mint's active attempt to discourage me from using Google annoyed me enough that the very first thing I did was enable it in my search engine.

I admit it - I'm a grumpy cantankerous old git... But if I'd simply been told that using Duckduck would help Mint's finances, I'd probably have said, "Excellent!" and started using it there and then. However, this attempt to actively make it harder for me to get Google - almost being told, in effect, 'you shouldn't use Google' - just gets my back up and makes me say 'Oh yeah? We'll see about THAT!'

In the grand scheme of things, this is all a bit of a non-issue, but I'm sure I'm not the only cantankerous old git Mint user. There might have been less hostility/controversy if both options had been there by default, with a polite request to consider supporting Mint by using the ducky thing.

Linux Mint also has partnerships with Ask.com, Google, Amazon, eBay, and the non-commercial Wikipedia. Duck Duck Go is just the default search engine and was chosen for it's inherent security over other search engines, and lack of tracking (it doesn't even use cookies). It's also partially open source if that matters. This, of course, doesn't make it an ideal search engine and you can easily change to the search engine of your choice but saying that Mint is making an active attempt to force the user away from using Google is a bit over the top (with all due respect).

"Humph. Choice, it is the quintessential Linux delusion, simultaneously the source of it's greatest strength, and it's greatest weakness." (All apologies to The Architect)